Hi from AliciaV

[AliciaV]

I just found out about your group when I talked to one of your members as I was about to start our on Moody Hill on my own. I was the woman in the Red Rock Crystal Perl Coat Jeep JK Wrangler Rubicon. I'm new to off roading and need to find someone to go with to keep me out of trouble. My summer is pretty busy so unless someone wants to do some after work runs in the Loveland/Lyons/Fort Collins/Estes Park area I probably won't get to go out with any of you till this fall.

[itsjustdan23]

Right on! Welcome to the site. Im sure you'll find enough willing people to go wheelin with ya.

[Patrolman]

We will do Fall runs too. Welcome!

[Brody]

Hey Alicia! Welcome to the site! There are great group of folks here as you probably gathered from meeting some on Moody. I should have been there, but was redoing the front end of my heap...

Anyway, we have a few night runs scheduled, plus a fun Ladies Run..at least I am assuming it is going to be fun..last year's was great...and we wheel all year long...

You Jeep sounds too pretty to wheel! I can't wait to see it!

Post any questions you have, no matter how 'newbie' they seem to you, and you will actually get a polite and informed answer!

[Dan]

Welcome to the site! :welcome:

[AliciaV]

I had one of the very last Bronco II's that were produced. That was the best all around vechicle I every owned. When it was new I lived in New Mexico and use to use it on backcountry trips. Thinking about it and how much I enjoyed it got me interested in getting a real off road vechicle again.

The more I drive my Jeep the more I like it, it is really pretty in the sun and I certainly did enjoy my Moody Hill run. That was the most difficult trail I've every been on but I made it.

Best time for a weekday run for me would be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. I'm pretty flexible when I get off of work. You think maybe we could get a half dozen rigs to go?

[Brody]

Best time for a weekday run for me would be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. I'm pretty flexible when I get off of work. You think maybe we could get a half dozen rigs to go?

There are quite a few folks that have weekdays off. I'll name the ones that I know:

Funrover(Aaron), 4runninfun(Jon), Screweder(Chris), 1freaky1 (Sean), GeckoCycles (Ken) and some of the unemployed, but not out of choice: Haku (Josh), ScoutFam (Steve), me (Pete) and of course, our illustrious Admin who is retired, Chris.

The rest of you folks that have free time during the week, step right in...

[AliciaV]

I can only go after work, but I can leave my house at 4. I was thinking one of the moderate runs around Estes Park/Allans Park would be a nice evening run.

Somewhat unrelated question, does anyone know when the Storm Mountain trail opens?

[Brody]

I saw Swath (Jeff) today and got the impression that it was open now. You might check

http://www.traildamage.com

and see when those folks ran the Storm Mountain/Storm Drain trail They usually run the trails as they open up, so the date should give you an idea.

[billsbar]

welcome to the site, where from NM are you from? The wife was born and raised in Alb. and I lived down there as well for about 7 years, went to highschool and dropped out of college down there.

[Swath]

:welcome:

[Screweder]

Welcome! Know the feeling on trying to get out after work and stuff. Working graveyards for where I work makes things damn near impossible to do without feeling like hell later.

[4Runninfun]

welcome. i'm sure you'll find plenty of people to wheel with, and to learn from.

[Even 11]

Welcome to the fold Alicia, Nice looking Jeep!!

-Dane

[Chris]

:welcome:

Alicia, nice looking truck you have and we all look forward to having you joining us even if it's not until Fall. I'm glad someone among us had better social skills than myself to take the time and say hi!

[ShutUpHippie]

welcome! hope to see you out on the trail sometime

[WINKY]

Welcome! :fr4x4:

[Funrover]

Welcome!

[AliciaV]

I am a born and raise Cheesehead from Wisconsin. I spent 9 years in New Mexico living in the Los Alamos/Santa Fe area before moving here 12 years ago. Living in New Mexico was one of those experiences in life I really appreciate having.

[Aaron]

Welcome to the site.

[Gecko Cycles]

Welcome and see you around.

[1freaky1]

:welcome: to the group and that is a Purdy Jeep love that color.

[Ace]

Welcome, I was in the Gray Samurai when your were turning off the crystal quarry road back onto the main Moody trail.

If your up on the trails west of Longmont/Loveland we'll probably see each other...

[DKDunn04]

Welcome! I'm pretty new too.

[AliciaV]

After looking at the pictures from your Moody Hill run I think you guys are crazy. I got to the quarry before the group and remeber looking down at the chute and being shocked to see tire tracks in it. Then seeing pictures of a brand new Jeep trying to get up it I still can't believe that someone would even try that. I'm a long way from every attempting something like that. I thought Moody Hill was bad enough.:)

I would cry if I hurt my Jeep.

[Funrover]

After looking at the pictures from your Moody Hill run I think you guys are crazy. I got to the quarry before the group and remeber looking down at the chute and being shocked to see tire tracks in it. Then seeing pictures of a brand new Jeep trying to get up it I still can't believe that someone would even try that. I'm a long way from every attempting something like that. I thought Moody Hill was bad enough.:)

I would cry if I hurt my Jeep.

Little by little you will build up confidence... next thing you know you are the one driving up that in your new rig! :thunb:

[Brody]

After looking at the pictures from your Moody Hill run I think you guys are crazy. I got to the quarry before the group and remeber looking down at the chute and being shocked to see tire tracks in it. Then seeing pictures of a brand new Jeep trying to get up it I still can't believe that someone would even try that. I'm a long way from every attempting something like that. I thought Moody Hill was bad enough.:)

I would cry if I hurt my Jeep.

I think you would be very surprised to see what your Jeep can do, especially with a good spotter. And we have some excellent spotters who are just as worried about not seeing damage done to your rig as you are..

Keep in mind that we do all different kinds of runs, with all different difficulty levels. If you see a trail posted that you are maybe interested in doing and have some doubts about your rig, please ask. Also keep in mind that almost all of the trails around here have optional obstacles, much like the quarry. Many of the rigs that go don't even try them and prefer to just watch other rigs do them.

Even though my rig is pretty well set up, there are many times that I won't try the harder obstacles. I don't have a problem with that and neither should you...and I am seriously not worried about any body damage...see picture..everything is Rhino lined flat black, full external roll cage, and major armor plating underneath...differentials, axles, T case, etc...

One of the things that I always suggest is to visit the traildamage.com site for your particular trail and either look at the pictures or watch the videos. Since these are almost always of the harder obstacles, you can take a look at the rigs doing them and compare them with your rig and see if you even want to do them at all. Again, keep in mind that there are, more often than not, bypasses around the hardest obstacles.

[AliciaV]

Thanks so much for the info on TrailDamage.com

[BOYoda]

NM, sweet.

To our humble adobe, er, abode, we welcome you.

[Brody]

Forgot to mention:

Charles Well's guides are also a really good resource and have pretty good suggestions as to what kind of rigs are suitable for what trails. He will say whether the trail is suitable for a stock rig, modified rig, or really set up rig (lockers, armor, etc) and say whether there is a possibility of body damage or other damage. This is in addition to the basic trail ratings.

Keep in mind that many of the 'trails' listed in his books are no more than dirt roads that can be driven by a 2WD car. If you have questions, please ask, as there have been a great many trails run by people on this group in all sorts of rigs..

[AliciaV]

For the foreseeable future I wan't to stick to trails my stock Rubicon will handle without to much risk. Next year I hope to be able to add some more skid plates; the transmission and muffler seem rather exposed to me. But I don't see me every adding a lift.

[1freaky1]

Sounds like you are starting out with a great plan for your rig, skid plates are a great place to start with the protection even if you only do mild trails they are a good investment.

[Brody]

For the foreseeable future I wan't to stick to trails my stock Rubicon will handle without to much risk. Next year I hope to be able to add some more skid plates; the transmission and muffler seem rather exposed to me. But I don't see me every adding a lift.

As a suggestion, look to replacing the gas tank skid plate first as this is the most vulnerable part underneath your Jeep. The muffler is a minor thing and we can suggest a couple of really good shops here that would do it very reasonably.

The other thing that I might mention is simply to post that you are looking for xx for your Jeep and see if someone spots something used on craigslist for you or knows of something kicking around in someone's garage. I doesn't have to be new to work well, especially something that is going to get dinged up anyway.

Another option is to contact one of the folks here that do welding and fab work..and there are a few, including myself..when you are interested in doing some of this and see if we can save you some $$

[AliciaV]

The one thing I've been looking for is a good way to mount a hilift jack on my Jeep. Mounting it inside it would really be in the way. If I mounted it vertically on the rear gate hing I can just see the gate swing closed and smashing my rear window if it was open. Any suggestions?

I've been wondering if something couldn't be rigged up with an extension to my hitch receiver.

[1freaky1]

I have seen alot of them mounted in different ways on the Jeeps, ie: hood, front or rear bumpers, verticle & horizontal, cage mounted, anything is possible. I always try to mount them where they are out of the way of visibility and still easy to access. Spend sometime walking around your jeep just looking at it and try to picture it mounted in different places. If you need some help let me know and I can lend a hand in mounting it for you.

[white collar redneck dad]

[QUOTE=Brody;44191]
Even though my rig is pretty well set up, there are many times that I won't try the harder obstacles. I don't have a problem with that and neither should you...and I am seriously not worried about any body damage...see picture..everything is Rhino lined flat black, full external roll cage, and major armor plating underneath...differentials, axles, T case, etc...

Brody --- who did the fab and weld for your roll cage? Charlie

[white collar redneck dad]

Welcome to the Group!!!

Do body armor first, then axle traction mods (ie trutrac or lock em up), then lift then tires. Just my 2 cents...Charlie

[Haku]

Welcome to the Group!!!

Do body armor first, then axle traction mods (ie trutrac or lock em up), then lift then tires. Just my 2 cents...Charlie

I'm the little Red Samurai that you talked to at the bottom of the trail. Welcome to the forum, lots of awesome people here.

Rubicon already has lockers, so thats covered. Some sliders would do wonders for ya though as far as not worrying about body damage going over the bigger obstacles. Honestly though, you have a vehicle that is setup about as well as any factory spec vehicle for having an awesome time. It already has all of the mods that most people do to theirs soon after they get it (i.e. lockers, sway bar disconnect, beefy rear axle, etc), or as soon as they can afford it (in other word me). Especially with a bit of a lift on it and some chunkier tiires, I've seen those do some pretty amazing stuff (see pics of Moody Quarry or you can spend hours on youtube watching Moab videos).

JH